The Unrequited Adoration of Severus Snape
by thedreamerbehindthemask
Summary: A clover is a weed. A lily is a flower. How could she compare? The story of a girl's unrequited love for Severus Snape in the Marauder's era and of how she found new love in Barty Crouch Jr.  Severus/OC/Barty Crouch Jr.
1. Chapter 1

The Unrequited Adoration of Severus Snape

A/N: I saw Deathly Hallows Part 2 last night and simply had to write this. I should be watching Doctor Who right now. Enjoy and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own the world of Harry Potter or its characters. Only my OC, Clover Crane.

The small rays of light shining through the compartment window illuminated the somber face of a young girl of about eleven years old. She pulled her large black robes around her small frame and gazed to the empty seats around her. This was not a very good way to begin school, alone and shy. Clover Crane bit her pink lower lip as she listened to the shouts and giggles coming from other compartments which happened to be full. She fingered the emerald shamrock around her neck and choked back tears. She was going to miss her mum and dad so much.

They said that the necklace was for good luck, but she didn't feel quite lucky at that very moment. She fiddled with the two gold coins in her lap and tried to think about what she would get from the trolley instead. Her thoughts of licorice whips and chocolate frogs were, however, interrupted when a small pale face appeared in the doorway of her empty compartment. Her head whipped around and her searching eyes met those of a rather skinny boy, a little older than herself, with sallow skin and a hooked nose.

Her eyes glowed at the possibility of a new friend as she tucked a strand of straw colored hair behind her ear. The boy's eyes were black just like hers, but his held a certain mystique and sadness. Hers were simply dark and plain on a round face still tan from the summer sun.

"Hello, I'm Clover Crane and who are you?" she asked tilting her head. The boy stood there with black hair shrouding a solemn face and pale hands clasped.

"I'm Severus, Severus Snape. Have you, by any chance, seen a girl with red hair and pretty green eyes?" he questioned his white cheeks flushing at the word 'pretty'. Clover tried to hide her disappointment by keeping her eyes downcast.

She had seen the red haired girl go flying by her compartment, her long tresses swaying behind her back. The short haired Clover remembered feeling a pang of jealousy after seeing the ginger. This caused her to pull a small knit cap over her own burnt locks that looked like mud splattered hay. This was all due to an eager yearning to begin her spells and a rather unfortunate fire which came from a mispronounced incantation. Her Persian cat was now quite hairless.

"Yeah, I believe she went tha' way," Clover explained with a thick Scottish brogue which she had picked up after living with her parents in Scotland for seven years. She pointed with one little finger to the left of her compartment out of the train. The boy, Severus, gave her a curt nod before hurrying off to find his ginger companion.

Clover slumped in her seat and gave a little sigh. She grabbed her wand case out of her rucksack and glanced at her new wand with caution. She'd have to be more careful with this one. Being the arsonist of Hogwarts certainly wouldn't gain her any friends. She laid her head against the cool window and closed her eyes, listening to the call of the trolley and imagining her hair was long and red.

Her eyes danced around the Great Hall in a frantic ballet, determined to see everything at once. Everything was enchanting, the floating candles, the house ghosts, the charmed ceiling which displayed the winking stars. There were the crimson and gold, brave and bold Gryffindors amongst which, she saw the beautiful red-head from before. Then there were the quiet and clever Ravenclaws, watching each new student closely. There were the jolly and gentle Hufflepuffs being ignored by the other houses but smiling anyway. There was finally the Slytherins with their cold mysterious auras and proud up-turned noses. A pale face stood out among the sneering bunch, a solemn face with large black eyes gazing at the pretty Gryffindor girl. Clover frowned as she watched Severus Snape, the boy from the train, smile ever so slightly at his red haired friend from across the hall. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor as friends, she mused, how curious.

She felt her stomach rumble as her eyes fell on the long wooden tables that would soon be loaded with a wonderful assortment of foods. While her thoughts were adrift with visions of chocolate pudding, Clover nearly missed her name being called. She stumbled as she made her way up to the Sorting Hat, blonde charred stands of hair hanging in her face.

Professor McGonagall gave her a thin lipped smile as she sat down on the small stool. She closed her eyes and folded her hands in her lap as the raggedy pointed hat was placed on her head.

"Ah such a sad little soul," an old crabby voice rasped in her ear, making her nervous, "you're a tricky one, girl, your mind is everywhere at once yet your fate has one unfortunate path. Pity your heart is soft and you work so hard to please others therefore…Hufflepuff!"

Clover nodded and hurried over to the yellow and black table, their cheers fresh and loud since she was one of the first to be called. She tried to mask her disappointment for a second time that day as she slid in-between a russet haired boy her age and a rosy-cheeked brunette. A boy sitting across from her held out his hand which was pale and freckled. He had the same colorings as she did, dark eyes and fair hair, but his skin was a milky white contrasting with her tan as she clasped his hand.

"I'm a first year too, Barty Crouch Jr.," he stated his tongue darting across his lips, "don't worry, we Hufflepuffs are much exciting than we let on." He gave her a weak smile as she looked around at the other Hufflepuff students. Clover highly doubted this was true but, she smiled back anyway.

"I'm Clover Crane and I must warn you, I have a knack for setting things on fire," she said picking up a strand of burnt hair with a grin. Barty smiled back and Clover decided things might not be too bad after all. Her gaze shifted from the freckled boy chatting before her, to the Slytherin table where there sat Severus Snape. So mysterious, she thought biting her lower lip. He sat there, silent and still as a statue, without touching his food, a curtain of straight dark hair covering his face except for his nose.

Quite strange, Clover thought, before digging into her roasted chicken and telling her new acquaintance about her unlucky streak despite her given name. By the time the chocolate pudding appeared on the table, Clover had forgotten all about the boy who was Severus Snape. If only it could have stayed that way.

A/N: So that's it for now. If I get reviews I will continue soon, if not… I'll try again with a new plot bunny. I hope Clover didn't seem Mary-Sue-ish and I hope you guys enjoy your summer! And the Deathly hallows part 2!


	2. Far Out on the Flip Side

The Unrequited Adoration of Severus Snape

Disclaimer: I don't own the world of Harry Potter or its characters. Only my OC, Clover Crane and her new friends.

The cold January air whipped through Hogwarts like an angry apparition, flushing the pale faces of its occupants. Down the winding corridors of the school, under a moving painting of a woman with her two children, walked three girls. The second-years clutched their books to their chests as they hurried to class.

"Not going to turn our potion to slime again, Crane," sneered the tall brunette girl to the short blonde to her left. Clover Crane flushed with anger and embarrassment as she turned her lowered gaze to meet the glare of Cassida Harrington. The two Hufflepuff girls had been assigned to be partners in Potions before the Christmas break and while Cassida was sure to be invited into the Slug Club when she was older, Clover failed miserably in the class. She got distracted so easily, going off into a day dream while the potion sizzled, or turned an unnatural shade of yellow, or blew up altogether. She tried her best, she did, but her efforts always ended up in flames, sometimes literally. This only slowed the pair down, Cassida's skill raising Clover's grade, Clover's accidents lowering her partner's. But still, Cassida didn't have to be so mean!

"Honestly," Cassida continued, "are you that thick to mess up every little-"

"Calm down, Cas, Clover tries her best, lets just get to class," reasoned the third young girl, auburn curls falling onto her rosy cheeks. Lacey Goldwin was the closest thing Clover had to a best friend. It wasn't that she was unpopular or disliked, but Clover's first year was quiet and uneventful giving her plenty of acquaintances but not one true friend. When rumors spread around that little shy Lacey fancied James Potter, Clover found Lacey crying in the girl's lavatory and did her best to stop the rumors and comfort the girl. They had become closer friends ever since, but with Lacey came Cassida, her snotty cousin and Clover was just going to have to deal with it. Clover fell slightly behind as the two taller girls hurried to Slughorn's class, Cassida's angry whispers filling the silence. The tall Hufflepuff's crowning glory was the waterfall of dark brown hair, parted straight down the middle that fell to her elbows. On many an occasion had Clover imagined cutting those glossy locks to be as short as hers. She frowned as she heard Cassida's silky voice say the words 'stupid' and 'blonde' as they reached the dungeons late as usual.

"Ah, well no Mr. Crouch, we will most definitely not being making the draught of living death, you kids are only in second year after all," sputtered Professor Slughorn, his watery blue eyes widening at his students absurd request. The rest of the class giggled as Barty looked down at his desk, clearly disappointed. Clover smiled as Slughorn continued to list the many dangers of attempting to make a potion before one is ready to do so. At least he didn't have to worry about her; she could barely complete first-year potions. Clover tapped one small finger against the cracked glass jar on their desk peering inside to see little worm-like specimens.

"Today we shall be working on a hair-raising potion, always good for a laugh, using rat tails," explained Slughorn fiddling with several objects on his desk, "but before we begin I would like to introduce you to Severus Snape, a brilliant fourth year who will be assisting you today."

From out of the dark corners of the dungeon appeared a lanky boy with dark hair and a hooked nose. The class, consisting of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, began to murmur and whisper when they saw his green and silver attire. Clover glanced up from the jar and was surprised to see the boy from the train last year standing before the class. Where did he come from? She hardly noticed he was there. Clover Crane had forgotten all about Severus Snape over the course of her first year, not really surprising since he was two years ahead of her and in a different house. Her brows furrowed in confusion Clover leaned over to her potions partner.

"Why is he here," she asked only to receive an eye roll from Cassida.

"Don't you listen at all; he's going to assist Prof. Slughorn," Cassida hissed in return, her blue eyes flashing.

"The ingredients are on your desk, begin," Slughorn instructed and since it was an early morning class, most of the students were slow to start. Cassida on the other hand began immediately, snapping orders at her day dreaming partner.

"I'll handle the rat tails but it seems we weren't given a vial of ashwood cinders, go ask Slughorn, you can do that can't you?"

Clover narrowed her black eyes at the other girl, her knuckles turning white as she grasped her green potions book. She wished she had a long mane of hair to flip over her shoulder as she whisked away from Cassida but her burnt jaw length strands remained ever so short. As she walked down aisle of desks, watching as other students worried over bubbling cauldrons, Clover noticed Severus Snape hovering like a big black bat over a pair of troubled Gryffindors. Clover approached her balding professor and tapped him on the shoulder.

"We don't have ashwood cinders, sir," she explained nodding back to their desk where Cassida was carefully measuring each pink tail.

"Right, right, cinders… check in my cabinet, dear girl," he responded before adorning a pair of spectacles and hurrying over to another pair's cauldron. Clover frowned as she pulled open the heavy door to the large cabinet. She really didn't remember just what ashwood cinders looked like. Letting her fingers play over a rack of vials filled with interesting plants and colorful substances, her eyes stopped on a tall thin tube filled with what appeared to be dark grainy cinders with specks of sparkling silver. Clover, without another thought, grabbed the vial and hurried back to her cauldron where Cassida was already chopping up the mint leaves.

"Good, you're back, just add two pinches of the cinders and then we'll let it settle," Cassida clipped not looking up from her work. Clover bit her lip and unstopped the vial, letting out a loud cough at its atrocious smell.

"Maybe we should ask the assistant for help before we do anyth-"

"No! I've got this, okay," exclaimed Cassida, her pride getting in the way. She didn't want Slughorn to think she, one of his best students, needed help just because she had a stupid partner. Clover simply shrugged her small shoulders and did what she was told, watching as the silvery specks floated into the brew. Then something strange started to happen, the previously green potion started to turn a dark shade of red, the surface hissing and bubbling before BOOM! The concoction erupted into smoke and flames sending Clover, who was peering into the cauldron, hurtling back onto the ground, her face black and ashen. The class went into hysterics, shrieks from the girls, and chuckles from the boys, and flailing arms from their professor.

"Get back," he ordered, bending over to give the coughing Clover a hand, "what happened this time, Miss Crane?"

"The cinders, I just put them in and," the blonde was cut off by a series of coughs and wheezes. Clover felt awfully embarrassed, more than usual for their dark guest had left his pair of troubled students to hover next to Professor Slughorn.

"Sir," he drawled in a surprising deep voice, picking up the half empty vial, "I think your student here has confused ashwood cinders for dragon ashes, extremely potent and flammable."

"Sir," piped Cassida, her face red and her eyes positives livid, "this is not my fault, I sent Clover to get the cinders and". Slughorn put up a hand, a headache growing already.

"Professor, M-m my hand," Clover stuttered, wincing as she held up her right hand which had been resting of the cauldron. The class gasped as they saw the angry red flesh that was charred around the edges and Slughorn nearly fainted. Clover held back tears as she looked down at her own severe burn, the pain stinging through her fingers and up her arm.

"My dear child," Slughorn gasped taking her by her left arm, "Severus, can you take her to infirmary and tell Poppy what happened, quickly my boy!"

With that, in a swirl of dark robes, Severus Snape took the young girl, who was still coughing, by her left hand and led her out of the dungeons, only to be followed by the whispers of her classmates. When she turned her head back, Clover could see the sympathetic eyes of Lacey and Barty along with the sharp glare of Cassida Harrington.

"I-I didn't know," she muttered cradling her limp hand to her chest and trying her best to catch up to the Slytherin boy.

"That's understandable, the two look very similar," Severus reasoned, looking over his shoulder to see the small dirty girl several steps behind before slowing to a normal pace. The rest of the way the two remained silent, the pain in Clover's hand causing her to choke out a small sob that echoed through the empty corridors. Severus let out a sigh of frustration and pity for the girl but didn't stop to check on her.

"We're almost there," he said, half to the girl, half to himself. They finally arrived at the large hospital wing, the smell of tonics and get-well flower bouquets strong in the air. An older woman with a white headpiece and apron shuffled them inside, seating Clover down on one of the beds with their crisp white sheets. Severus stood and watched as Madame Pomfrey carefully turned over the girl's hand, causing the second-year to take in a sharp breath and squeeze her eyes shut.

"A potion accident," he explained clasping his pale hands behind his back. Madame Pomfrey nodded as she conjured a wet towel to clean the girl's ashen face to reveal fair flushed skin. That Severus boy was always a quiet one, she thought, as she bandaged the girl's red hand after treating it with an aloe tonic. Clover sighed as the cool clear substance flowed over her hand, which remained numb as the nurse wrapped it in gauze.

"Now Miss Crane," Madame Pomfrey said with a gentle pat of her hand, "you won't be able to put any strain on this hand for a week. So, no Quittich, no playing games, no writing or eating, with this hand. Are we clear?"

Clover nodded and ran two fingers across her burnt hand, unable to feel anything. This was going to make things difficult for she was right handed. Most of her professors would understand, she reasoned, for they all knew she was terribly accident prone. Madame Pomfrey gave her a quick smile before rushing over to attend a crying patient. Clover swung her feet back and forth over the bed, looking up to see Severus still standing there, greasy black hair falling to his shoulders.

"Do you think I can get any better?" the Hufflepuff asked in a Scottish accent he hadn't noticed before.

"You hand will be fine."

"No, I mean at potions, I always get so distracted," Clover responded, running a hand through her hair.

"I have a friend," Severus said slowly, "she was terrible at potions, every thing she tried turned the wrong color, but now she's brilliant, sure to get into the Slug Club. If she can get better, anyone can." His eyes were unfocused, the smallest of smiles on his face before it disappeared and he turned to leave the Hospital Wing.

"Thank you…" Clover called at his retreating figure, smiling at his new hope. Severus just nodded, memories of a red-haired witch playing over in his mind.

As Clover made her way to Transfiguration, two hands clapped her on her shoulders. Turning around she met the gaze of two Gryffindors with matching periwinkle eyes.

"Hello, I'm Zandra Blue," said a thin willowy girl with spiky black hair and a mischievous grin, "and this is my brother Merick Cabby," she continued motioning to the boy next to her. He had light brown hair with swooping bangs and delicate almost feminine features including very high cheekbones.

"We saw what happened in potions today," he explained causing Clover to blush and hold up her bandaged hand.

"That was brilliant, I mean the bang and the smoke and the," exclaimed Zandra her eyes wild.

"Yeah, Zan and I have been trying to get an explosion like that since our first day but we did manage to annoy that Slytherin bloke today," Merick said with a wink.

"You should have seen it; we started asking all these random questions about unicorns and whatnot but still, we have to know how you did that!"

"It was an accident," Clover explained to the quick-talking duo, grinning at their antics.

"Oh, but you should have seen the look on Cassida Harrington's face! She looked like a deformed pig," snorted Zandra bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Would you like to come with my sister dearest and I to the library after lunch," asked Merick patting his sister on the back. Clover immediately liked these two. They were much more fun and wild than Hufflepuff second years.

"I'd love to," she responded, forgetting about her immobile hand.

"Far out," drawled Zandra using muggle slang and playing with the colorful beads woven into her black stands.

With a smirk before entering the transfiguration class room, Clover decided to use her own muggle words.

"Catch you on the slip side!"

Second year was going to be great.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I had to use some 70's lingo, just had to! I know things are going slow but I don't want to rush things.


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